A 69-year-old woman on her daily walk was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull June 22, 2007; the dog tore into her face, head and arm. Lan Khanh Trinh was saved by neighbors who heard her screaming. After the attack, she underwent surgery at a local hospital for severe but not life-threatening injuries.
Twelve-year-old Payton Newell was walking the dog when Trinh came up to them and tried to pet the pit bull. The boy told her not to pet him and the dog started growling. The woman continued to reach to pet the dog; the dog then maneuvered out his collar and attacked her.
One of the neighbors who came to the woman’ rescue was 37-year-old Robert Bailey, who heard his neighbor’s screams outside his window just before 8:00 the morning of the attack. Bailey reported that the dog was biting and grabbing her face. Bailey yanked the dog off of Trinh and positioned himself between the dog and the victim; the 60-pound pit bull, named Achilles, was unfazed by neighbors hitting him with sticks and shovels.
The dog then attacked another neighbor, Spencer Alexander, one of the men hitting the dog with a stick to stop the attack. Alexander was bitten in the left arm. The dog then turned to attack another neighbor, Marc Del Santro, who approached with a .45 caliber pistol who shot and killed the dog with one bullet to the head.
The pit bull’s owner, Glenda Newell said, her “heart goes out to this person; she’s a very, very nice lady,” but states she should have backed off when the dog started growling. Ms. Newell said her dog is very friendly but doesn’t like to be touched by people. She is quoted as saying, “He was a very loving dog. Maybe she just scared him.”
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury resulting in physical impairment and/or mental and physical pain and suffering in Atlanta or anywhere in Georgia, please visit the website of experienced Personal Injury Lawyers Robbins & Associates, PC.
